[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S434-S435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING THE NORRIS STEVENS FAMILY

 Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I congratulate the Norris 
Stevens family for being named the Drew County Farm Family of the Year 
for 2009.
  I have felt a long kinship with Drew County, and I am grateful for 
the friendships I have made there. I have many fond memories visiting 
the Drew County Courthouse, where my southern Arkansas field office was 
located when I was first elected to the U.S. Senate.
  As a seventh-generation Arkansan and farmer's daughter, and as 
chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I understand firsthand 
and appreciate the hard work and contributions of our farm families. 
Agriculture is the backbone of Arkansas's economy, creating more than 
270,000 jobs in the State and providing $9.1 billion in wages and 
salaries. In total, agriculture contributes roughly $15.9 billion to 
the Arkansas economy each year.
  Mr. President, our farm families are critical to our Nation's 
economic stability. We must work to continue the farm family tradition, 
so families such

[[Page S435]]

as the Stevens family are able to maintain their livelihoods and 
continue to help provide the safe, abundant, and affordable food supply 
that feeds our own country and the world and that is essential to our 
own economic stability.
  I salute the Stevens and all Arkansas farm families for their hard 
work and dedication.

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